Holder and dispenser for collapsible tubes



p 2 1953 F. A. MAJOR 2,652,950

HOLDER AND DISPENSER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed 001;. 18, 1950 INVENTOR.

FREDERICK A. MAJOR fatented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES E TENT QFFiE HOLDER AND DISPENSER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES 4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices for holding and expelling from collapsible tubes the contents thereof, and more specifically to such a device which is simple in construction and efficientin operation, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a device of the type referred to above in the use of which a predetermined measured amount of the contents of a collapsible tube is expelled from the tube in a sanitary manner on each operation of the device.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the improved device of the invention.

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the device illuu trated by Fig. l with a part thereof shown in a changed position by broken lines.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-& of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for purposes of illustration, merely one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved holding and dispensing device generally. The device A includes a base plate I from which is extended up wardly a pair of spaced bearing elements 2, said bearing elements being provided with bearing openings in which is supported for rotation a shaft 3. The shaft 3 is provided at an end thereof with a finger grip 4 which serves to facilitate rotation of said shaft, and also said shaft is provided with a slot 5 that extends longitudinally thereof, said slot being open at an end of the shaft and at opposed side portions thereof.

The device A is provided with tube holding means 6 which comprises an annular portion I having a pair of opposed curved legs 3 and 9 extended downwardly therefrom. The leg 8 is hinged at its lower end between a pair of spaced ears I which extend upwardly from the base plate by a hinge pin II and because of this arrangement the tube holding means '6 may be moved to the position in which it is shown by broken lines in Fig. 2 when a tube is to be introduced in place in the device or removed therefrom.

The shaft 3 has rigidly mounted thereon a ratchet Wheel I2, and loosely mounted on said shaft for oscillatory movement with respect thereto in an operating arm I3. The operating arm I3 supports a pawl I4, said pawl being supported for pivotal movement by a pivot element I5 and having associated therewith a torsional coil spring It that tends to urge the nose por- 2 tion of said pawl into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel I2. By referring to Fig. 4 of the drawing it will be noted that one end portion of the torsional coil spring contacts with a lug I7 which is formed on the operating arm i3 While at the other end of said torsional coil spring an end portion of the spring is projected into an aperture formed in the pawl I I. The operating arm 53 has associated therewith a torsional coil spring I8 whose coiled portion embraces the shaft 3 inwardly of the finger grip 4 thereof, one end portion of said torsional coil spring IS being engaged by an element I9 associated with the base plate I, and an end portion of the torsional coil spring I8 at the opposite end thereof being projected into an aperture formed in a portion of the operating arm I3. The operating arm is provided with a screwthreaded abutment element 26 which serves to limit downward movement of the operating arm I3 by contacting with the base plate I, said abutment element being supported in a screwthreaded opening formed through the lug I1 and said abutment element being adjustable so as to regulate the extent of the operating stroke of the operating arm I3.

In the use of the improved device of the present invention, the shaft 3 and the various parts of the unit of which said shaft forms a part are removed from the device by pulling the shaft longitudinally of its major axis so as to disengage said shaft from the bearing elements 2. The tube holding means 6 is then moved to the position in which it is shown by broken lines in Fig. 2 and a tube T is extended through the annular portion 7 of said tube holding means. The shaft 3 is replaced in position with respect to the bearing elements 2 of the device, the flattened lower end portion of the tube being caused to be disposed in the slot 5 of said shaft, and the tube holding means 8 is moved to its normal vertical position. The device A is now ready for use, it being necessarily merely to remove the cap of the tube and depress the operating handle I3 to receive from the tube a predetermined measured amount of the contents of the tube, part of the contents of the tube being expelled therefrom because a lower portion of the tube is wound on the shaft 3 upon rotation of said shaft (see Fig. 5). If, however, a user should prefer not to have a predetermined amount of the contents of the tube expelled therefrom on operation of the device A. The finger grip 4 of the shaft may be grasped and the shaft rotated to the desired degree, the ratchet wheel I2 during such opera- 3 tion of the device rotating idly relative to the pawl M, as is indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4.

I claim:

1. A device for holding a collapsible tube and expelling therefrom the contents thereof in measured amounts, said device comprising a base member, a tube holding means having a portion which embraces the collapsible tube and a pair of leg portions extended from said tube-embracing portion, pivot means for pivoting one of said leg portions of said tube holding means to said base member so as to support said tube holding means for pivotal movement with respect to said base member, the other of said legs contacting with said base member for maintaining said tube holding means in its normal position with respect thereto, a shaft supported for rotation by said base member, and having a slot formed longitudinally thereof which receives a portion of the tube so that said tube may be wound on said shaft on rotation of said shaft, and means for subjecting said shaft to a predetermined degree of rotation on each operation of said means so as to expel a predetermined amount of the contents of the tube on each such operation.

2. A device for holding a collapsible tube and expelling therefrom the contents thereof in measured amounts, said device comprising a base member, a tube holding means having a portion which embraces the collapsible tube and a pair of curved leg portions extended from said tubeembracing portion, pivot means for pivoting one of said leg portions of said tube holding means to said base member so as to support said tube holding means for pivotal movement with respect to said base member, the other of said legs contacting with said base member for maintaining said tube holding means in its normal position with respect thereto, a shaft supported for rotation by said base member, and having a slot formed longitudinally thereof which receives a portion of the tube so that said tube may be wound on said shaft on rotation of said shaft, and means for subjecting said shaft to a predetermined degree of rotation on each operation of said means so as to expel a predetermined amount of the contents of the tube on each such operation.

3. A device for holding a collapsible tube and expelling therefrom the contents thereof in measured amounts, said device comprising a base member, a tube holding means having a portion which embraces the collapsible tube and a pair.

of leg portions extended from said tube-embracing portion, pivot means for pivoting one of said legs portions of said tube holding means to said base member so as to support said tube holding means for pivotal movement with respect to said base member, the other of said legs contacting with said base member for maintaining said tube holding means in its normal position with respect thereto, a shaft supported for rotation by said base member, and having a slot formed longitudinally thereof which is open at an end of said shaft and receives a portion of the tube so that said tube may be wound on said shaft on rotation of said shaft, and means for subjecting said shaft to a predetermined degree of rotation on each operation of said means so as to expel a predetermined amount of the contents of the tube on each such operation.

4. A device for holding a collapsible tube and expelling therefrom the contents thereof in measured amounts, said device comprising a base member, a tube holding means having a portion which embraces the collapsible tube and a pair of leg portions extending from said tube-embracing portion, pivot means for pivoting one of said leg portions of said tube holding means to said base member so as to support said tube holding means for pivotal movement with respect to said base member, the other of said legs contacting with said base member for maintaining said tube holding means in its normal position with respect thereto, a shaft supported for rotation by said base member, and having a slot formed longitudinally thereof which receives a portion of the tube so that said tube may be wound on said shaft on rotation of said shaft, a finger grip at an end of said shaft and means for subjecting said shaft to a predetermined degree of rotation on each operation of said means so as to expel a predetermined amount of the contents of the tube on each such operation.

FREDERICK A. MAJOR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,620,955 Drohan Mar. 15, 1927 2,104,954 Stanton Jan. 11, 1938 

